What really happened at the Les Résistantes Écolo festival?

“We who originally come from environmental struggles. However, it seemed relevant to us to try to bring together the different fights as widely as possible.” Such were the words of Victor Vauquois. Moreover, co-organizer of the resistance fighters, a few hours before the opening of the eponymous festival, Thursday August 7, in Saint-Hilaire-de-Briouze (Orne).

Thought as a high mass of local struggles. For example, the event brought together 10,000 activists in the Ornais bocage (our article) between August 7 and 10. In addition, Two years after a first edition in Larzac. Nevertheless, the main organizing association, Land of Wrestling, wanted to give way to a greater variety of fights.

Conferences and meetings on peasant struggles, environmentalists, feminists, anti -racists … Meanwhile, plural fights, presented for four days, which were supposed to create synergies and “Structure a mutual aid network between activists.”

But at the time of the balance sheet, the meeting appears less joyful. Therefore, As reported by our colleagues in Reporterre. In addition, around thirty activists racialized expressed their anger during the closing ceremony, denouncing racist violence suffered during the event. Meanwhile, Vert investigated to try to understand what had happened.

“We were told like kids” – What really happened les résistantes

It all started behind the scenes. Consequently, Thursday, August 7, when members of the coaadep, what really happened les résistantes the collective of agricultural workers and the beneficiaries poisoned by the pesticides of the Antilles, appear at the gates of the festival. However, “We operated the next day during a round table on chemical colonialism”precise at Vert Lilith. For example, member of this organization, who fights to have the suffering caused by chlordecone recognized by agricultural workers of West Indian bananaraies (our article on this pesticide).

“We arrived in part on foot, because we what really happened les résistantes participate in parallel with a walk to denounce the chlordecone scandal. However, We have chosen to make a detour specially for the festival and were very badly welcomed.» According to her, the installation of the collective on a location near its equipment and dogs “Took 2:30”. Therefore, “A person of the organization of the resistance fighters. However, with great contempt and disdain, first wanted to put us on a camp reserved for people with reduced mobilityshe adds. For example, Another yelled at us saying that we were disturbing. Consequently, ”

Once installed, these militants racialized have suffered admonition and reminders of order. However, “We were told like kids. Furthermore, These are always attacks, it’s tiring and insulting. Moreover, Especially since some of our comrades, non-Afro, had no problem to settle down ”, CHACHA MUTY, member of the COADEP. Therefore, A situation «inadmissible»condemns Almamy Kanoute. In addition, representative of the collective what really happened les résistantes of the assembly of neighborhoods which fights to make their voices heard in the political arena, present on the spot.

“You can’t just name Thomas Sankara. Moreover, Aimé Césaire capitals and think to do well”

The next day, a few minutes to intervene on the festival, members of the collective were arrested by a volunteer in charge of their parking lot. Moreover, “He told us that we had nothing to do there. Furthermore, although being in possession, to our truck, of a paper stipulating the opposite”, tells Lilith.

What make him lose patience. Consequently, “I yelled “Stop !”. Immediately, the gentleman called security for a dangerous situation. And there, suddenly, when we thought we were in a safe placewe understood that this was not the case. ”

To this episode succeeded tense exchanges with the public during the round table “Pesticides: chemical colonialism”where the coaadep intervened with the Vietnam Dioxine what really happened les résistantes collective. which fights for the official recognition of the effects of the Orange agent on the populations during the Vietnam War (our article), and the Earth-Monde observatory, which highlights the diversity of ecological issues in the overseas territories. “We come here to tell our stories, our journeys and the experience of our peoples. Directly, we are swung “Yes, but in mainland France, this happens”. We are not closed to hear it, but that was not the subject. It is good that festivals present themselves as anti -racists. anti -colonials, but as soon as you have to listen to the speech of people who have experienced colonization, everything is brought back to what happens here. “

“We collapsed on the ground and cried a lot. We are not scotch bits that must be put because it is fashion »

Exchanges “Above-ground”. Confirmed by Rémi-Kenzo Pagès, independent journalist, member what really happened les résistantes of the association of anti-racist and racialized journalists (Ajar), who attended the round table. “The first intervention in the public was out of topic, he confides. It was a very long remark to say: “You had agent Orange, the chlordecone, but we have the Duplumb law”. The levels in pesticides were not the same. We are in a context of war for agent orange. The parallel was not relevant. ”

Words of the public imply. according to Lilith, that the speakers of the round table “Are the representatives of the Global South” While all the speakers are French. She then decides, with another activist, to leave the debates. “We collapsed on the ground and cried a lot. We are not scotch bits that must be put because it’s fashion. ”

Contacted by other anti -racist collectives, Lilith wanted an action to be undertaken at the end of the festival. “You what really happened les résistantes can’t just name Thomas Sankara or Aimé Césaire capitals and think to do well.”

What really happened les résistantes

“A legitimate anger”. according to the organization of the resistance fighters

Victor Vauquois, member of land of struggle, recognizes “A legitimate anger”while the organization noted “Remarks, displaced behaviors and insults”.

Violence also undergone several other collectives. This is evidenced by Gaëtan Zhang. founder of the Association Generation Panasiatic, who works to mobilize the youth of Asian communities on issues of social justice and decolonial and anti -racist struggles: “By moving to the festival, a person in the collective heard someone say that he did not like the Chinese. When the person in the collective went to speak to him. he changed his words and said he liked Vietnamese people. ”

Other example: “During the round table on the extreme right in rurality. people said they saw little racism and that voting what really happened les résistantes for the national rally, it was not a racist vote, he continues. Someone else exclaimed that we never talked about anti-white racism. It’s very violent. “

If he has not witnessed direct racist violence. Almamy Kanoute, of the Assembly of the districts, recognizes that he “There are looks that do not lie: contemptuous looks, or people surprised by our presence.”

Several incidents have also been reported when “Activities concerned went to the basic basis”. This space. which aims to be inclusive and benevolent, aimed to collect the words of people “Victims of oppressions, notably racist, and sexist and sexual violence”indicated Andy, a volunteer in charge of the base, during our passage on site.

“This speaking is a gift to work better together”

Rejoicing “The craze around the festival. the diversity of the struggles represented”Andy had admitted to fear “A multiplication of incidents”. As a reminder, 10,000 people attended the resistance fighters this year. People from environmental struggles and mostly white, including in organizer.

It is this point which particularly crystallized the tensions in the group of activists intervened at the end of. the festival. “The problem of environmental struggles is that it is an inter-self. white people who find it difficult to question themselves”abounds Lilith, of CoADEP.

Two days later. Victor Vauquois recognizes that “This speaking put us in discomfort, but it is a kind of gift what really happened les résistantes to work better together, He hopes, thus taking up the words pronounced at the end by the activists on stage. It challenged everyone, with many discussions. ”

These exchanges should lead to the implementation of “Measures to better take into account anti -racist struggles” During. the next editions. Control lands. the main organizing collective, nevertheless wishes “Take the time to analyze the events that have occurred this weekend”specifies Victor Vauquois. In a press release published on Wednesday August 13. the organization promises to work to “Showing to criticism on racism in our movements”.

“The anti -racist activists advised us different things. especially in terms of training, to improve their management, their welcome, their integration and better understand their fight.” Journalist Rémi-Kenzo Pagès suggests in particular. “The regular presence of people speaking of racism in all round tables, no longer confining the round anti -racist tables in the morning at what really happened les résistantes 9:00 am at the bottom of the festival, do not create a separation between environmental militants and anti -racists.”

A wider racism in the environmental movement?

The fight is actually wider and questions the place of racism, in a systemically, in the ecological movement. “A certain reality in the militant environment. the political groups, and the collectives, is that the white majority is quite hypocritical and lack of interest. It is not said that you are responsible for systemic racism, but for your questions and your words. ”Recalls Almamy Kanoute.

«Stop talking on our behalf or in our place. If you do it without us. you are against us ”

The activist to continue, “We made the bitter observation that, as part of an ecological festival, there are still parasites, and also in so -called left -wing political groups. This forces us to continue to be suspicious what really happened les résistantes and to be on our guard. ”

And launch a message: “It is very beautiful to ask us to evoke sensitive subjects. but if it is just to hear our stories, and not act by our side and prove to us that we are in a real logic of solidarity, it is not worth. We are the subjects of the subjects that concern us directly. Stop talking on our behalf or in our place. If you do it without us, you are against us. ”

A speech to which Gaëtan Zhang adheres. of Panasiatic generation: “White people must make efforts to understand our experience, our struggles and above all act by our side.” It remains to be seen the effects of these calls for change, during the next editions of the Resistants.